Galatians 4:17-18 - Homiletics

The tactics of the false teachers.

The apostle is naturally led from the thought of the Galatian alienation to speak of the seductive arts by which it was caused.

I. THEIR ARTS OF SEDUCTION . "They are paying court to you, but not honestly." They manifested an anxious zeal to win over the Galatians to their own party. They tried with fair words and fine speeches to seduce them, professing, no doubt, a deep interest in their welfare, as well as great zeal for the glory of God; but their motives were not "honest."

II. THE DESIGN OF THESE ARTS . "Nay, they desire to exclude you in order that ye may zealously affect them." They aimed at isolating their converts from the sounder portion of the Church that they might thus be led to throw themselves completely into the hands of their seducers. They wished to form them into a separate clique. The first object of errorists is usually to undermine the confidence of converts in their old teachers, and then to get themselves regarded as alone worthy to fill their place.

III. THE CHARACTER AND AIM OF TRUE ZEAL . "But it is good to be courted fairly at all times, and not only when I am present along with you."

1 . Christian zeal must spring from a Christian motive— love to Christ, love to the truth, love to the souls of men. Zeal must be according to knowledge.

2 . It must be exercised toward Christian ends. Not like the zeal of inquisitors, for the destruction of heretics, but for the glory of God and the advancement of truth.

3 . It must be permanent , and not fitful , in its influence. "Always." There are many difficulties to check zeal, such as the perpetual antagonism between the Church and the world, the friction of human effort, and the law of the members in believers themselves. But the zeal of believers ought to be as lasting as the realities of religion are permanent.

4 . It ought to be independent of external guidance or suggestion ; whether faithful teachers are present or absent.